Lubricant dispensing apparatus



Jan. 15, 1957 ox ET AL 2,777,610

LUBRICANT DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.15, 1957 A. P. FOX ETAL LUBRICANT DISPENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed May 14, 1953 I Jan. 15, P, FOX L LUBRICANT DISPENSING APPARATUSFiled May 14. 1953 5 SheetsSheet 3 55 o a as Y? o Z0 United StatesPatent LUBRKCANT DISlENSmG APPARATUS Alexander P. Fox, University City,and August D. R eisert, Bel-Nor, Mo., assignors to The McNeil Mach ne dzEngineering Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May14, 1953, Serial No. 354,934

16 Claims. (Cl. 22213il) This invention relates to lubricant dispensingapparatus,

and more particularly to apparatus for dispensing lubricant via a hosefrom drums or the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa cabinet type of lubricant dispensing apparatus particularly suitablefor use in service stations and garages for dispensing lubricant via ahose from commercial drums or the like, the apparatus comprising acompartment for out-of-the-way storage of the hose and a housing forenclosing a drum; the provision of apparatus of this class having aso-called lance pump for pumping lubricant from a drum through the hose,in which the pump is enclosed in the drum housing; the provision ofapparatus of this class in which the drum housing is vertically slidableon the hose compartment between a lowered position wherein it coactswith the hose compartment to enclose a drum and a raised position forplacing a full drum under the housing or removing an empty drum from thebase; and the provision of apparatus,

of this class wherein the mechanical construction lends itself toward apleasing appearance. Other objects and features will be in part apparentand in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possibleembodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. l is a perspective of a mobile dual-unit apparatus of thisinvention for housing two drums of lubricant, the drum housings of bothunits being shown in lowered position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing one drum housing raised;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on line 33 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 6 is a perspective illustrating a stationary singleunit apparatusof this invention equipped with a hosewinding reel.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1-5 a mobilelubricant dispensing apparatus having two individual dispensing units ofthis invention, the units being generally designated 1 and 3, forhousing two drums containing different types of lubricant. For example,unit 1 may house a drum of chassis lubricant and unit 3 may house a drumof gear lubricant. As shown, the apparatus comprises a base 5 on casters7. The base comprises a sheet metal base plate 9, which has lengthwisecorrugations for stiffness, a channel-section central cross brace 11under the plate 9, and a channel-section "ice skirt 13. The skirt hasstraight sides and semi-circular ends 15.

Fxed in central position on the straight sides of the skirt 13 arevertical side panels 17. A fixed transverse vertical partition 19extends centrally across the base between the side panels. Thispartition constitutes an end panel or wall common to units 1 and 3. Theportions of the panels 17 on one side of partition 19 form part of unit1, and the portions of panels 17 on the other side of the partition 19form part of unit 3. Inasmuch as units 1 and 3 are identical, only theunit 3 half of the apparatus is shown in Figs. 3-5, and it will beunderstood that parts shown to the right of partition 19 in Figs. 3 and4 are duplicated to the left of the partition.

Panels 17 and partition 19 are generally of equal height and higher thana drum D of lubricant which is to be accommodated. Each panel 17consists of a sheet metal plate having its vertical edge portions bentin to provide inturned flange sections 21 with outwardly facing verticalchannels 23 projecting from the inner ends of. the flange sectionstoward the respective end of the base (see Fig. 4). The panels 17 alsohave inturned top flanges 25 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5). Each of units 1 and3 has a vertical transverse plate 27 spaced from partition 19 toward theflange sections 21 extending between the side panels 17 across the topof the space bounded by the partition 19 and side panels 17. This plate27 constitutes a forward end panel spaced from the edges of the sidepanels. Panels 17, partition 19, and plate 27 provide a hose-receivingcompartment 31 having a top opening 33 defined by the top flanges 25 ofpanels 17 and the upper edges of partition 19 and plate 27. The loweredge of plate 27, which is spaced above the base, is rounded as by abead 35, and the opening below the bead is designated 37.

Each of units 1 and 3 has a fixed cover section 39 secured to the topflanges 25 of panels 17 outward of the hose opening 33. Each of thesefixed cover sections 39 has a vertical wall 41 adjacent the top of plate27. Fixed to the wall 41 is a U-shaped plate 43 having a rounded head 44serving as a guard rail. A. center guard rail 45, made of a length ofround rod, spans the panels 17 above the central partition 19. Rollers47 are journalled at their endsin openings in walls 41 of the fixedcover sections 39 adjacent their sides and extend from one wall 41 tothe otherwithin the guard rails.

Each of units 1 and 3 further comprises a vertically slidable shellgenerally designated 49 constituting a housing for enclosing a drum oflubricant placed on the base 5 outward of plate 27. Each shell 49comprises a sheet metal sleeve or shell section 51 of U-shape inhorizontal cross section corresponding to the form of the end portion ofskirt 13. The bottom of the shell section 51 is open, being reinforcedby an angle iron 53 which, in

a lowered position of the shell, engages the top of theskirt 13 (seeFigs. 3 and 5). The top of the shell section 51 is closed by a dome-likeshell cover 55 which, when the shell is in its lowered position, appearsas a continuation of the adjacent fixed cover section 39.

The vertical edges of the shell section 51 are bent in to form inturnedflanges 57 (see Fig. 4). Secured to the inside of the shell sectionadjacent the flanges 57 are vertical slide channels 59. These faceoutwardly facing vertical slide channels 61 secured in the channels 23at the edges of panels 17. Channels 61 constitute vertical track means.Slide members 63 of cruciform shape in vertical cross section arereceived in the slide channels 59 and 61 to key the shell section 51 tothe vertical edges of panels 17 and to allow for vertical sliding of theshell 49 between a lowered position wherein its lower edge engages theskirt of the base and a raised position such as shown in the foregroundin Fig. 2. In the raised posi 3 tion of the shell, its lower edge'ishigher than the top of'a drum placed on the base.

The shell is manually slidable upward to its raised position, having acombination bumper and handle 65 in convenient position to be graspedfor lifting it, and is automatically latched in its raised position byspring latch means generally designated 67 mounted on the inside ofchannels 23 and engageable by the bottom of the shell. Moreparticularly, each of the latch means 67 comprises a U-shaped latchmember 69 pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin 71 on a bracket 73securedto the inside of the channel 23. The member 69is biased towardthe latching position shown in Fig. 2 by a springSl. When the shell i inlowered position, one side of each of the latch members (the right sideas viewed in Fig. 4) en-.

gages the inside of the shell so that the latch members are thereby heldin retracted position against the bias of their springs. Upon raisingthe shell to the point where its lower edge is higher than the latchmembers, the latter snap outward into shell-supporting position (seeFig. 2), and the shell may then be lowered to rest upon the latchmembers. To lower the shell, the latch members are manually pushedinward.

At the sides of the shell section 51 adjacent its top are brackets 83supporting a pump support 85 extending transversely across the shell.The pump support 85 carries a lance-type pump 87 in vertical position onthe vertical axis of the semicylindrical contour of the shell section51. Pump 87, which is bolted to the support 85, is of a well-known typecomprising a pump tube, 89 for insertion into a drum and a motor 91 foroperating a pump piston which works in the pump tube. Reference is madeto such U. S. Patents as 1,925,832; 2,122,020; 2,187,684; 2,215,852;2,269,423 and 2,298,920 for disclosures of such pumps. The pump tube 89extends down from the support 85 and its lower end is somewhat above thelower end of the shell. The motor 91 in this case is an air-operatedmotor and extends upward into the shell cover 55. At its upper end, themotor has a threaded stud 93 which extends through an opening in theshell cover 55. A nut 95 is threaded down on the stud 93 against caps 97and 99. The shell cover 55 is removably telescoped with the shellsection 51, as indicated at 101, and.

may be readily removed from the shell section upon removal of nut 95 andcaps 97 and.99 for obtaining access to the pump, which may be removedfor servicing. a

As to each of units 1 and 3, a hose 103 leads from the outlet of thepump through the opening 37 into the hosereceiving compartment 31defined by panels 17, partition 19 and plate27, and thence out throughthe top opening 33 of the hose-receiving compartment between the guardrails 43 and 45 and the rollers 47. On the outer end of thehose of unit1 is shown a metering valve 105, and on the outer end of the hose ofunit 3 is shown a control valve 107. The fixed cover section 39 of unit3 is shown as having an opening 109 for receiving the nozzle 111 of thecontrol valve 105. The hose in each case is of such length that it mayreach a considerable distance from the respective unit, and the excessof length of hose is receivable in the hose-receiving compartment 31 forout-of-the-way storage when not in use. The shell section 51 of each ofunits 1 and 3 has an air coupler nipple 113 for attachment of an airhose to supply air to the motor 91 for operating the pump. Within theshell, a line 115 leads from the nipple to the motor 91.

With the shell or housing 49 of unit 1 in raised position i as shown inthe foreground in Fig. 2, a full drum D may cant from the drum, an airhose is coupled to the nipple 113 to supply .air to the pump motor. Hose103 .ofunit 1 is pulled .out of .the compartment .31 for application ofthe valve 105 on the end of the hose to the part to be lubricated. Uponcompletion of-use of the hose, it may be pushed back into thecompartment 31 for out-of-the-way storage. The rollers 47 serve asrotary guides for the hose. With the hose pushed back into thecompartment, valve rests on the guard rail 44 of unit 1 and the centerguard rail 45. To replace an empty drum with a full drum, housing 49 ismanuallyraised and latched in raised position, whereupon the empty drummay be taken out and replaced by a full drum. It will be understood thatunit 3 is used in the same way, except that in this case the nozzle 111of the valve 107 may, if desired, be inserted in the opening 109 whenthe hose is pushed back into the hose compartment. -The entire unit iseasily moved from place to place by reason of its mounting on casters 7.W

Fig. 6 illustrates a stationary single-unitapparatus corresponding tounit 1 wherein the casters 7 are omitted, andfurther showing how a hosereel maybe used in the hose-receiving compartment- 31. In this case, thepanel 19 constitutes a back wall for the apparatus. The side panels aredesignated 117. Instead of using the guard rail 45 of the dual-unitapparatus, a cover section 119 similar to the cover section 39 is usedin order to provide for the mounting'of the rollers 121 corresponding tothe rollers 47. A hose reel 123, which may be of the type shown in U. S.Patents 2,279,156 or 2,499,909, orany other suitable type, is mounted onthe base Within the compartment 31, with a length of hose line 125leading from the pump outlet to the reel, and with the hose 103 wound onthe reel. Hose line 125 is long enough to permit raising of the shell49.At 127 is shown a control knob for the reel extending through anoperating in the cover section 119. The nipple 113 is omitted, and airis supplied to the pump via-,a permanently installed air supply line(not shown) leading into the apparatus through an opening 129. This lineis such as to permit raising of the housing 49. It will be understoodthat the reel need not be used in the case of the single-unit apparatus,and the hose 103 accommodated in the same manner as in Figs. l-S.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 7

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

We claim: 7

1. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a base forsupporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the base,vertical track means on said compartment, a drum housing verticallyslidable on said track means between a lowered drum-enclosing positionon the base and a raised access position above the base, said housinghaving an open side closed by the compartment when the housing is inlowered position, an

the drum housing interiorly. thereof for entry into a drum on the baseupon lowering the housing from its raised position, the pump having anoutlet, and a hose extending out of the'compartment through a hoseopening and having a connection with the pump outlet, said hose beingadapted to be pulled out of the compartment for use and returned to thecompartment for storage.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means on thecompartment for latching the housing in raised position.

'3. Apparatus as set forth 'in claim 1 wherein the hose receivingcompartment loosely receives the hose. 7

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hose opening is in thetop of the compartment. I

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim l wherein the drum housing is ofU-shape in horizontal cross section'and its vertical edges arevertically slidably associated with said vertical track means.

6. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a base forsupporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the basecomprising side and end panels and having a hose opening, vertical trackmeans at opposite sides of one end panel of the compartment, a drumhousing of U-shape in horizontal cross section vertically slidablyassociated at its vertical edges with said track means facing one endpanel and being slidable between a lowered drum-enclosing position onthe base and a raised access position above the base, said housing beingopen at its side facing said one end panel and at its bottom and havinga top cover, a lance pump carried by the housing interiorly thereof forentry into a drum on the base upon lowering the housing from its raisedposition, the pump having an outlet, and a hose extending out of thecompartment through a hose opening and having a connection with the pumpoutlet, said hose being adapted to be pulled out of the compartment foruse and returned to the compartment for storage.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means carriedby the side panels for latching the housing in raised position.

8. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a base,side panels at the sides of the base spaced from one end of the base,transverse panels extending between the side panels defining therewith ahosereceiving compartment open at the top, the transverse panel towardsaid one end of the base being spaced from those edges of the sidepanels toward said one end of the base, vertical track means at saidedges of the side panels, a drum housing of U-shape in horizontal crosssection vertically slidably associated at its vertical edges with saidtrack means, said housing facing said one transverse panel toward saidone end of the base and being slidable between a lowered drum-enclosingposition on the base and a raised access position above the base, saidhousing being open at its side facing said one transverse panel and atits bottom and having a top cover, a lance pump carried by the housinginteriorly thereof for entry into a drum on the base upon lowering thehousing from its raised position, the pump having an outlet, and a hoseextending out of the hose-receiving compartment through the open topthereof and having a connection with the pump outlet, said hose beingadapted to be pulled out of the compartment for use and returned to thecompartment for storage.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 further comprising spring-biasedlatch members mounted on said edges of the side panels for latching thehousing in raised position.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said edges of the sidepanels have inturned flanges and portions projecting from the inner endsof the flanges toward said one end of the base, with outwardly facingchannels at said projecting portions constituting said track means, andwherein the housing has inwardly facing channels at its vertical edges,with keying members received in said channels for slidably keying thehousing to the side panels.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein there is a fixed coversection on the top of the side panels, the housing top cover being acontinuation of the fixed cover section when the housing is lowered.

12. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a basefor supporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the base,vertical track means on said compartment, a drum housing verticallyslidable on said track means between a lowered drum-enclosing positionon the base and a raised access position above the base, said housinghaving an open side closed by the compartment when the housing is inlowered position, an open bottom, and a top cover, a lance pump carriedby the drum housing interiorly thereof for entry into a drum on the baseupon lowering the housing from. its raised position, the pump having anoutlet, a hose reel in the hose-receiving compartment, and a hose woundon the reel and extending out of the compartment through a hose openingand having a connection with the pump outlet, said hose being adapted tobe pulled out of the compartment for use and returned to the compartmentfor storage.

13. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a basefor supporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the base,vertical track means on said compartment, a drum housing verticallyslidable on said track means between a lowered drum-enclosing positionon the base and a raised access position above the base, said housinghaving an open side closed by the compartment when the housing is inlowered pc ition, an open bottom, and a top cover, a lance pump carriedby the drum housing interiorly thereof for entry into a drum on the baseupon lowering the housing from its raised position, the pump having anoutlet, and a hose extending out of the compartment through a hoseopening and having a connection with the pump outlet, said hose beingadapted to be pulled out of the compartment for use and returned to thecompartment for storage, the top cover of the drum housing beingremovable, and the pump at its upper end having a detachable connectionwith the cover.

14. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a basefor supporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the basecomprising side and end panels and having a hose opening, vertical trackmeans at opposite sides of one end panel of the compartment, a drumhousing of U-shape in horizontal cross section vertically slidablyassociated at its vertical edges with said track means facing one andpanel and being slidable between a lowered drum-enclosing position onthe base and a raised access position above the base, said housing beingopen at its side facing said one end panel and at its bottom and havinga top cover, a lance pump carried by the housing interiorly thereof forentry into a drum on the base upon lowering the housing from its raisedposition, the pump having an outlet, and a hose extending out of thecompartment through a hose opening and having a connection with the pumpoutlet, said hose being adapted to be pulled out of the compartment foruse and returned to the compartment for storage, the top cover of thehousing being removably telescoped on the housing and the pump at itsupper end having a detachable connection with the cover.

15. Apparatus for dispensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a basefor supporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the basecomprising side and end panels and having a hose opening, vertical trackmeans at opposite sides of one end panel of the compartment, a drumhousing of U-shape in horizontal cross section vertically slidablyassociated at its vertical edges with said track means facing one endpanel and being slidable between a lowered drum-enclosing position onthe base and a raised access position above the base, said housing beingopen at its side facing said one end panel and at its bottom and havinga top cover, a lance pump carried by the housing interiorly thereof forentry into a drum on the base upon lowering the housing from its raisedposition, the pump having an outlet, and a hose extending out of thecompartment through a hose opening and having a connection with the pumpoutlet, said hose being adapted to be pulled out of the compartment foruse and returned to the compartment for storage, the lower edge of saidone end panel being spaced above the base to provide an opening from thecompartment to the drum-receiving space enclosed by the housing, and thehose extending from the compartment through said opening to the pumpoutlet.

16. Apparatus for dispsensing lubricant from a drum, comprising a basefor supporting a drum, a hose-receiving compartment fixed on the basecomprising side and end panelsv and having a hose opening, verticaltrack means at opposite sides of one end panel of the compartment, adrum housing of U-shape inhorizontal cross section vertically slidablyassociated at its vertical edges with said track means facing oneendpanel and being slidable between a lowered drum-enclosing position onthe base and a raised access position above the base, said housing beingopen at its side facing said one end panel and at its bottom and havinga top cover,a lance pump carried by the housing interiorly thereof forentry into a drum on the base upon lowering the housing from its raisedposition, the pump having an outlet, and a hose extend- 7 ing out of thecompartment through a hose opening and having a connection with the pumpoutlet, said hose being adapted to be pulled out of the compartment foruse and returned to the compartment for storage, the

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